The most common cause of broken or dislocated jaw is accident or
trauma involving a blow to the face. This may be the result of a
motor vehicle accident, industrial accident, recreational/sports
injury, or other accident. It may also result from assault. The
goal of treatment is proper alignment of the jaw bone so the upper
and lower teeth come together normally. Surgery is often required
for moderate to severe fractures to align and immobilize the bone
so it can heal.
Review Date: 06/04/2011
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports
Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director,
A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
